


impromptu

by ameriboo



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coming of Age, F/F, F/M, Friendship/Love, High School, Late Night Conversations, References to Drugs, Secret Crush, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Teenagers, ash will eat a dozen krispy kreme original glazed, gary is a nerd, misty just likes to hang out, this is more about friendship really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:29:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24929950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ameriboo/pseuds/ameriboo
Summary: A gentle chemical reaction.━━Misty picks up Gary for late night snacks and Ash is a hot mess.
Relationships: Kasumi | Misty/Ookido Shigeru | Gary Oak, Kasumi | Misty/Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Ookido Shigeru | Gary Oak/Satoshi | Ash Ketchum
Comments: 8
Kudos: 33





	impromptu

**Author's Note:**

> disclaimer: i don't own anything. just own the feelings in my heart that i want them to be friends. 
> 
> this is....old. it's not a lot but i like the little things in life.

> **A gentle chemical reaction.**

"Look outside your window."

Gary groaned into his cellphone, tapping his pen against his lit desk lamp. It was four o'clock in the morning. He was working on the work cited page for his psychology report. His insomnia was mild but still made him weak.

The topic was the four happy chemicals. Serotonin—the security of social dominance. Endorphin—the oblivion that masks pain. Oxytocin—the safety of healthy social bonds. Dopamine—the joy of finding what you seek.

The quartet was responsible for an individual's joy.

It was ironic—the person partially responsible for that surge of excitement that flows through Gary's bloodstream would be the one to interrupt his assignment about the state of happiness. Not that he would ever tell her that to her face.

Gary walked over to the balcony and spotted Misty William's baby blue 1979 Volkswagen Super Beetle. He leaned on the railing, watching as an arm waved outside the car window. She would get like this sometimes, call him up at obscene hours at night to bother about something this person said, or ask if he wants to take a long drive.

Even when Gary has a perfectly good car in his grandfather's garage she always wants to drive in her scratched blue bug with more craters than the moon.

"Misty," Gary warned, "don't you have swim practice in the morning?"

"It's at ten," she replied. "I have plenty of time! Come on, we're getting donuts."

He combed his hands through his hair, "I thought you were at Giselle's party?"

"Giselle's a grade-a bitch and is stingy with her imported vodka so Ash and I booked it. I'm fully sober and want donuts right now."

Gary's smile faltered. "A drunk Ketchum is with you?"

"Todd shared a joint with him—I warned him how Ash can get so now he's cross-faded in the backseat and we want something to eat, so are you in?"

He sighed, "Give me five."

The car was parked under a street light, a shallow sound of Joy Division playing from her hazy speakers. Within a couple of minutes Gary, in his brown leather jacket and sweat pants, piled into the passenger side of Misty's compact car. An array of charms from fuzzy dice to strange charms collected from flea markets and thrift shops hanging from her rearview mirror.

"Hey," she said mildly. "Be glad you didn't come out tonight, someone brought out glow-paint."

He shot a glance at her. Misty's body was covered in light paint marks. Her bright orange hair was twisted high on top of her head, covered in streaks of electric paint. The strap of her top slipped dangerously down her arm and he tried not to stare.

Gary smirked, "You know I don't like Giselle's parties—she invites too many of those assholes from the private school."

A loud grunt came from a body flat against the leather interior of Misty's car. Ash, hoodie covered in flaky paint, was in a half-awake state, he reached over to point a finger at Gary, eyelids dropping.

"You're the king of private school assholes."

"Oh," Gary's head turned around to face him. "Was it fun, Betty?"

Ash bit back, "Not without you, Veronica."

"Girls, relax," Misty chimed, starting the engine. "You're both pretty."

"Thanks, Archie." They replied simultaneously.

She rolled her eyes at her boys. The tired engine hummed as they rode through their neighborhood, lights filtering through the car window.

"Which place are we goin-"

"KRISPY KREME!"

"Ash-"

"A dozen original glazed, sir."

Misty shushed him, lightly smacking his thigh from the front seat. He can be so silly.

"If you scream one more time I'm throwing your ass out."

Ash gave her an apologetic look knowing well how she'll accept it and continue driving. He closed his eyes and laughed, placing his back against the interior. Gary hated it when Ash acted silly. Silly was when they were seven and knocking loose teeth out of each other's mouths.

As much as Ash forgets Gary remembers how aggressive they got.

It was the struggle for dominance. There was a lot of love between them, but the struggle was still there. It's still there.

They were dynamic—a pair. Then came Misty with her lanky knees covered in scrapes at ten years old. Their Archie. A trio of sorts.

Everyone in town knew about the situation, especially Gary. He knows Ash would probably die for Gary. Gary remembers when fourteen hit Ash like a flaming rocket in the form of zits and muscles, it was the age that Ash's hands became gentler. He recalls noticing the first time that Ash's palm lightly grazed Misty's arm and how it left him utterly confused.

But it all changed for Gary the last time they all three sat on his roof.

Huddled under a wool blanket, a canteen of cocoa shared between the three of them, and Misty's green eyes staring up at the sky. He never looked at the stars the same since that night. They haven't been up there since.

Besides the confusion and hormones, they all had a sacred friendship. Gary would be lying if he wasn't happy he was currently the one in the passenger seat. The world blessed Gary with moments like this, moments where he can sit in comfortable silence with Misty. They were rare but Gary valued each moment from the small tapping of her finger against the steering to the glances she brought his way. He tucked away all of it to some part of his mind. Rewinding the images when he misses her.

He leaned against the passenger side window, the palm of his hand covering his mouth. His sunken eyes were dark and hazy, his mind told him he needed to go home and rest. He ignored what his body needed and watched her from the corner of his eye.

Misty sat there in the driver seat, smiling at the road ahead.

Her face looked tired but content. One of her hands on the wheel and the other figuratively clenching his heart like a wrinkled stress ball. She lazily stuck out her tongue to which Gary jabbed her softly on her ribcage, her tickle spot. She swatted his hand away and returned her attention to the streets.

With a final turn towards the blazing green and red neon sign, they pulled into the twenty-four-hour Krispy Kreme. They unloaded themselves from the car. Ash stretched his entire body out and walked ahead, whispering about getting a Krispy Kreme paper hat.

A hand pulled Gary by his arm.

"Gary?"

"Yeah?"

She looked up at him through lowered eyelashes and smiled warmly, "I'm glad you came out tonight."

He grinned, "Why is that?" A sense of relief rushed over him.

"You needed this, Oak. You never get out anymore…not like before."

Misty was right. Things weren't like before.

"Yeah," Gary replied, "I did need this."

She turned around and headed towards the sweet scent of dough and sugar, looking over her bare shoulder, green eyes covered in smudged eyeliner shining dangerously. Splatters of paint dotted on her peachy skin like a Pollock masterpiece.

"Come on," Misty beckoned. "The coffee is on me tonight."

He followed. With every step she took, he followed.

**Author's Note:**

> comment and gush about the wasted potential of ash, misty, and gary being friends. go on. xoxo


End file.
